Heavy Metal!
by MEGAMANX411
Summary: [COMPLETE] Mega Man X, Zero, and Axl may be in for trouble when they come into contact with a legendary criminal. Warning! Rated M for profane language and violence.
1. Prologue

**Heavy Metal!**  
_Prologue_  
By MEGAMANX411

Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction about a fan character of mine named Metal. Another fan character of mine named Goth will also be implemented. I will still employ the other Mega Man X elements, and this will take place around the same time as Mega Man X8 and Mega Man X: Command Mission in terms of the series chronology. Mega Man X may be property of Capcom, but Metal and Goth are mine. I also have some fanart of both characters (if you want to see it, just e-mail me).

* * *

A group of reploids were congregating in the dark alleyway. They all were civilian class reploids, so they were obviously not fit for battle in the least. They each looked around nervously, and then attended to their own business. One with plain grey body armor and blonde hair took out some force metals. Illegal force metals at that.

"Is that..?" one reploid asked, his voice filled with intrigue.

"Yeah, it's pure, that's for sure. You buying?" the grey reploid asked, looking side to side nervously.

The other two reploids looked at each for a moment. The first one was bulky and had a rather masive build. He had green armor, and short black hair. The other reploid had purple armor and long green hair. He was quite small, and nervously looked side to side. It was obvious that he didn't want to be caught in dealings with illegal materials. All of the sudden, from the shadows, emerged another reploid. He slowly walked from the darkness, and the only thing that gave away his presence was the faint sound of his footstep. The other three reploids instinctively tensed up and shot a look over towards the sound off the incoming figure.

"Who are you?" the three reploids asked in unison.

The lone figure didn't reply. He merely took a step forward, and his form was revealed a bit more as he walked into the light. He appeared as Mega Man X did...but something was odd about him. His armor was black as night, with silver streaks adorning him. He had some symbols on him that represented anarchy, and black hair came out from the front of his helmet, eclipsing his right eye. His left eye, which was visible, had a dark spot under it, like he hadn't rested for weeks. Overall, he resembled a dark, brooding, gothic-like X. He appeared emotionless, completely indifferent to what was going on. The reploid who was selling the illegal force metal then got the idea that this new person must be interested in buying.

"Hey...you here to buy the force metal?" he asked, his voice rather raspy.

The figure smirked. As he did so, a fang was revealed. The reploids became rather creeped out at this turn of events, and started to back away.

"Peace sells..." the figure muttered, looking at his arm cannon.

All of the sudden, a spiked ball emerged from his arm cannon, and it rested just on top of it. The figure smirked as he stared the other reploids down.

"But I ain't buying."

He launched the spiked ball from his buster and it vaulted through the air with amazing speed. The ball was attached to a chain that was linked to his buster, and the spikes on the ball were coated with a thin layer of energy. A highly illegal weapon that had rarely been seen before, especially considering the Maverick Hunters usually retired anyone that had it. The reploid who was selling the force metal was struck with the weapon and it ripped a gaping hole in his chest. The reploid looked back at the figure with wide eyes, but he only saw that wicked grin. The weapon then came flying back and smashed the reploid in the back of the head, sending synthetic reploid blood everywhere. The reploid's metallic body was crushed instantly, and its innards spilled out. The other two reploids looked horrified at this turn of events. They just stood there, shivering. They were too scared to even move. This reploid...this demon of a reploid, just smiled at them.

"Who...who are you?" one screamed, trying to back away.

"Metal. Call me...Metal," the figure replied, still smirking.

"Please...you have the force metal...just spare us!" the other shouted.

Metal shook his head slowly. The spiked ball then returned to his buster, and he aimed it at them. His face showed a certain sadistic glee in his work, and it horrified the other reploids to no end.

"Apparently, you misunderstand the situation. If I'm in possession of highly illegal equipment, I can't afford to leave witnesses," Metal hissed, preparing another attack.

The other two reploids tried to run, but before they got anywhere, Metal ripped through them with another one of his attacks. This time, the weapon rammed straight into one of the reploids' arms, completelytearing through it. The reploid screamed as he clutched his bloody limb. Luckily, the other reploid brought a weapon along with him. Of course, because he often dealt with illegal weapons, he thought it would be better to bring along something to fight with. It was an adamantium blade coated with a thin layer of energy, a deadly weapon in the right hands. Metal just chuckled, as if this turn of events didn't faze him at all.

"What's so funny? That weapon of yours isn't indestructable..." the reploid stammered, raising his weapon high.

Metal continued his assault, reducing the injured reploid to nothing but a messy heap of synthetic blood and circuitry. But what was more eerie...was that he was laughing as he did so. The last reploid tried to strike at Metal with his sword, but Metal brought up his spiked ball weapon to block it.

"This weapon is made of an adamantium-titanium alloy mixture. In other words, it is indestructable. Tell you what..let's play a game. I call it "Countdown to Extinction." You interested...? I bet you are!" Metal replied, mocking the other reploid.

Metal then walked towards the other reploid and got right in his face. He kept that sadistic grin on his face which sent shivers up the reploid's spine.

"3..."

The reploid's eyes shot wide open as he saw Metal was preparing another attack. The reploid quickly dropped his weapon and ran for it.

"2..."

The reploid ran faster, trying to get away from Metal. Soon, after a little effort, the reploid noticed that Metal was no longer behind him. He stopped and tried to catch his breath. He then felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"1. Time's up," a voice hissed.

The reploid tried to escape, but Metal grabbed his head and tore it off like paper. The reploid's body fell to the ground, lifeless. Metal just stood there, proud of his handiwork, and nabbed whatever the reploids had on them, whether it was illegal goods or Zenny. As Metal walked away, a nearby computer screen showed the silhouette of a figure. The image was blurred and skewed, but even that was a major development because getting a picture identification of this criminal was quite a feat. The screen had a bounty on it, and a rather big one at that. The screen read:

**Name**: Metal  
**Age**: Unknown  
**Reploid Class/Model**: Unknown  
**Height/Weight**: Unknown  
**Specifications**: Unknown  
**Occupation**: Unknown  
**Crimes**: Class D property damage, theft, grand theft auto, homocide, arson, also said to be in possession of a horde of stolen goods  
**Status**: Highly dangerous Maverick, report any and all activity if spotted  
**Bounty**: 2 billion Zenny


	2. Targeted

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 1  
_"Targeted"_  
By MEGAMANX411

Alia, the main navigator for Maverick Hunter HQ, was wincing her eyes as she stared at her computer sceen in front of her. She had been working nonstop to try and find some information, but didn't have any success after hours upon hours of searching. Pallette and Layer, the two new recruit navigators, weren't having much luck either. All three girls sighed in unison and laid back in their chairs, completely fried from having spent hours in front of their monitors.

"I can't believe that there's almost no information on this guy..." Pallette muttered, rubbing her forhead.

"I know. It just seems so odd that there is barely any leads. It's like his very existence is questionable," Layer added, pulling her hair out of her eyes.

"Well, we do have a little," Alia replied, motioning for the other two navigators to take a look at what she had uncovered.

Layer and Pallette congregated around Alia's computer screen and focused on what she had found very intently.

"So far, we only know what crimes Metal has committed because of certain patterns in how the reploids were destroyed. He did make a minor slip in front of one area's security system which has provided us with one picture of him...but unfortunatley, the picture is so hazy and skewed that it's almost impossible to identify him. His crime rate has escalated to a ridiculous degree. Luckily for us, there isn't a lot of panic because not many know of him yet. A lot of media sources think that Metal is a hoax, just a horror story..." Alia explained.

"Well, if the media doesn't know that Metal's really real, that might work to our advantage," Pallette answered. "People won't be afraid of him."

"Yes..but we need to take care of this before it gets out of hand," Layer replied, motioning to Metal's crime history. "Metal has committed increasingly bigger crimes. And with each one, we find that more illegal goods have been stolen. If he keeps getting stronger, stopping him may be rather difficult."

Alia looked over at Metal's supposed crime history. True, a lot of this was based off of rumor and conjecture, but at least it was something.

"I just wonder what Metal is up to with all this stuff. I don't believe he's just stealing it because he can. That doesn't make any sense. There has to be some motive," Alia muttered.

"It's just too bad that the authorities haven't really been up on this," Pallette answered.

"Well..the police force has tried to capture him. They just can't seem to catch him, or even locate him for that matter. He's incredibly slippery," Layer answered.

"What about bounty hunters?" asked Pallette, scratching her chin.

"The high bounty put on him should attract some powerful bounty hunters. But we can only hope Metal doesn't end up killing them and stealing their weapons..." Alia muttered.

"Should we ask Signas to have some hunters assigned to the mission?" asked Pallette.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll go get him," Layer replied, getting up from her seat.

Layer walked through the navigation and slowly approached Signas' desk. She was rather meek and reserved as usual, and cautiously moved her hair so she could see probably. She fidgeted with a pen in her hands nervously. Signas then looked up from his work to see Layer standing in front of him.

"Oh, Layer, it's you. Is there something you need?" Signas asked.

"Sir, we have some information ona reploid by the name of Metal. We think we might have to start sending hunters after him based on our findings," Layer replied, sounding a bit nervous.

"Hmm..are there bounty hunters already on the task?" Signas asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Well, yes, that's true, but-"

"I'm not sure if it's too wise to get hunters and bounty hunters involved in the same mission. Bounty hunters don't typically get along with hunters either. I for one don't want any unnecessary fighting," Signas answered.

"Sir, but Metal is becoming a rather big threat. I think it's better safe than sorry," Layer answered, sounding a bit more confident than before.

"Hmm..you do raise a valid point. Let me see what data you have amassed so far," Signas answered, getting up from his desk.

Signas followed Layer back to the navigation room. Alia and Pallette stood up to salute their superior as he entered the room, and then resumed their normal duties.

"So what have you found?" Signas asked.

"Well sir, we have found what crimes Metal has committed. Unfortunately, because no really cohesive investigation has been made, we can't really locate him. We need someone to get on the case so we can find out more about him," Alia asked.

"That's true. Still, I don't think it would be in our best interest to just send out our best hunters. That might create some panic. We'll send some lower end hunters at first. Is that understood?" Signas asked, his voice firm as usual.

"Yes sir. Actually, sir, there was one other thing I wanted to ask of you," Alia replied.

"Yes Alia, what is it?" Signas asked.

"May I have access to the Maverick data files from before I arrived at Maverick Hunter HQ? It is possible that Metal was formerly dubbed as Maverick and has been trying to escape since then. That might provide us with a slight lead," Alia answered.

Signas nodded slowly and gave Alia his confirmation.

"Yes, that's a good idea. You girls continue your work. I'll file the necessary paperwork to get some hunters assigned to the mission. Don't get X, Zero, or Axl involved now though. We don't want to send them out unless we really need to," Signas answered.

"Understood," the three navigators replied in unison.

Elsewhere, a dark figure entered a warehouse. He sighed lightly before brushing his black hair outof his eyes for a moment. He slowly walked into the dark, dank warehouse and approached a reploid girl. She was somewhat short, perhaps around 5 feet or so. She had pale skin and purple and black striped armor.

Her long black hair flowed elegantly down to her knees, and she had deep blue eyes with dark spots under them, similar to Metal. She also had anarchy symbols on her chest and knees, but appeared rather meek and reserved.

"I'm back," Metal whispered, smiling at the girl.

"I'm glad you're safe..but how long can we keep this up?" the girl asked, trembling as she spoke.

"Don't talk like that. We're not gonna get caught. Not as long as I keep getting stronger," Metal answered. "Goth, I'm not gonna let either of us get caught."

Goth lowered her head and her eyes trailed off as she was overcome by feelings of sadness and fear. Metal placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll make sure no one takes you," Metal whispered, smirking at the girl. "Besides, I've been getting stronger and stronger. I can take out just about anyone. And besides, no hunter is going to use illegal parts to take me down. I'll always have the upper hand on those fags."

"Metal..when we don't have to run anymore, will you get rid of those illegal parts?" asked Goth.

Metal's expression turned harsh. He then looked away, like Goth had said something that stabbed him in the heart. His eyes flashed with feelings of rage, and he gritted his teeth.

"I might.." he muttered. "But I'm not gonna be incomplete."

Goth looked away, and then brought her head back up. She had wondered if she and Metal could just stop running, stop fighting. It seemed so useless at times..and she didn't want to run forever. She knew that Metal would protect her..but having to run all the time and not being able to enjoy life was taking its toll on her.

"Maybe they aren't really all that bad..maybe we should give up, and they'll forgive us. I mean, it's useless to keep running..." Goth muttered, looking down at the ground.

Metal angrily gritted his teeth, reached over, and grabbed Goth's green cloak. It was full of bullet holes from people they had escaped from previously. Metal held it up in front of Goth's face.

"You see this? It's full of goddamn holes! Bullet holes! They're trying to kill you, don't you get it? We can't give ourselves up to those bastards!" Metal screamed.

"I know..it's just that.." Goth muttered, hanging her head low again.

"Look, don't worry. I'll scrap anyone they send after us. Even...them..." Metal muttered, clenching his fist.


	3. The Deal

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 2  
"_The Deal_"  
By MEGAMANX411

Signas stood in front of a line of three rookie Maverick Hunters. Two of them were C class, and one of them was B class. The B class hunter was somewhat respected within Maverick Hunter HQ, so he was considered more than qualified for taking care of a criminal. But just for safety measures, Signas preferred to send along two other hunters to assist. They could at least gain some observation time during the fight.

The B class Maverick Hunter was code named "Copper" because of his appearance mostly; his spikey green hair accentuated his copper-colored armor. He was a reliable hunter and a pretty solid fighter by most means. His abilities never came off as too impressive, but he was definitely good enough to do the job most of the time. He wasn't too cocky, but he was known to get a bit ahead of himself. Like Axl, he did employ energy pistols, but he wasn't quite as skilled as the more famous Maverick Hunters.

The two C class Maverick Hunters were known as Alt and Pop. They were both rookies who recently joined the team and who aspired to become powerful Maverick Hunters one day. They had attended several lectures given by their superiors, but they both haven't spent too much time out of the classroom yet. They had been on a handful of missions, but mostly for observation.

Alt was known for his bright yellow armor, long flowing black hair, and his style of fighting. He tried his best to emulate Mega Man X, even if his buster power and technique weren't as impressive. He did, however, have rather high grades for a rookie. Signas was confident in him. Pop was also an upcoming rookie. He had plain white armor and short blue hair. Instead of using a long range weapon, he employed two energy knives.

Pop was more skilled in close combat, and took several advanced courses in sword skill from none other than the famous Maverick Hunter Zero. Of course, his training wasn't quite complete, so he wasn't nearly on the same level. Alt always had a pretty upbeat attitude, which was one of the reasons why he was considered among the top rookies. He accepted his tasks with confidence. Pop was a bit more cocky, but was also very determined. He would do what needed to be done with little hesitation...however, his sometimes reckless attitude had gotten him punished before.

Signas did believe that there may be problems when engaging Metal, but he was confident that they could handle the task. After all, they needed to train better hunters. This would be a good way for them to move up in the ranks. The main problem that concerned Signas was finding Metal in the first place. They had no leads whatsoever. However, they did think of a way to draw him out into the open. It would require the acquisition of some rare, illegal parts. That of course, wouldn't be too difficult for the Maverick Hunters considering that they had more than enough in their evidence department.

The main issues was setting up a proper plan of attack for capturing Metal. The hunters would need to execute a solid plan, and they would need some bait. They would need some way to attract Metal to the stolen goods in the first place. So, Signas approached an informant that the Maverick Hunters relied on to pass some of the information to certain parties. The information would spread over time. As Signas and most of the hunters knew, rumors spread among the public like wildfire.

"It seems like a good plan. This should work in capturing him, don't you think?" Signas asked.

Alia stood beside Signas, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. She had investiaged the previous Maverick files and found some information, but she wasn't sure how it would be taken by Signas.

"Um, excuse me..sir?" Alia asked.

"Yes, what is it Alia?" Signas asked, his voice calm and dignified as usual.

"I researched a little more about this Metal person. I found something," Ali answered.

"Anything of use?" Signas asked, becoming more intrigued.

"Well, according to the file, Metal was originally labeled as maverick quite some time ago. During the time of the first Maverick War, Metal was one of the original reploids that were branded as mavericks. He did not fight with Sigma's rebellion, however. He was called a maverick for looting during a maverick riot and for being in posession of illegal goods. Before we could find out what he was using them for, he got away. Sadly, with the presence of Sigma, we lost track of Metal..." Alia muttered.

"So you're saying we simply forgot about him earlier and that he's grown stronger over time?" Signas asked, completing Alia's thought.

"Yes sir..." Alia muttered.

"Even so, I don't think we should get Axl, X, and Zero involved in this. I don't want this turned into a big crisis. The people have enough to deal with already; Sigma's already a huge threat. We don't want Metal to stir up even more panic than there already is. We have our informant out passing the information of the stolen goods. Metal will probably show up at the designated place and time, and that's where our hunters will subdue him," Signas answered.

Layer and Pallete, the other two navigators, then entered the room. They each quickly gave Signas a salute, and then stood beside Alia.

"Have you two found something you would like to share also?" Signas asked, his arms behind his back.

Layer nervously moved the hair from her eyes and did her best to retain her composure in the face of her boss. She had a hard time however, considering she was a rather passive person.

"Well, sir, we have received a little more information on Metal. We think he might have an accomplice," Layer announced.

"Some various sources have reported that during a really rare sighting of Metal, they supposedly saw a female reploid with him," Pallette added.

Signas' expression turned somewhat hard, and he turned his back to the girls.

"I really appreciate your concern and work ethic on the matter, but we can't place our faith in mere rumors and sightings. We don't look into urban legends for reliable information. Based on what we do know now, Metal will go for stolen goods. That's all we can say for certain. The other information simply prove irrelevant anyway, considering that we have now executed a plan to capture Metal. We'll just have to see how this turns out," Signas answered.

"Sir, I'd like to continue a search on Metal's background history regardless," Alia replied, her voice more firm than before. "I think we should be careful. The sitation might escalate if we take him too lightly."

"You can do what you wish, but remember to attend to your other duties first. If another hunter needs navigation, do that first before returning to this investigation. Understood?" Signas asked.

The three navigators nodded in unison before scrambling back to their computer terminals. All three of them were completely involved in this investigation for mixed reasons...partly from interest, partly from concern...and partly from fear.

Meanwhile, the informant that the Maverick Hunters had used just passed the information of a supposed illegal force metal shipment being made. The information passed through some underground groups that the hunters kept tabs on until it finally made its way to a duo of bounty hunters.

The first bounty hunter, a male reploid with long blue hair and a solidbrown frame sat at a table in a bar, holding a drink loosely in his hands. He simply stared at the liquid as he pondered the rumors he had heard. If the information was true...he might meet the legendary criminal Metal. And if he could bag him, he'd be rich. The bounty hunter moved the hair out of his emerald green eyes and looked over at his partner.

"You up for this Queen?" he asked.

The bounty hunter's partner was a female reploid with short black hair. Her armor was solid purple, and she was eager to accept the proposal of going after this bounty. Her dark brown eyes flashed wtih a hint of greed, a typical trait for most bounty hunters. The beautiful bounty huntress just smirked and looked back at her male companion.

"Yeah, I'm up for this Ace. The money seems to good to pass up," the female reploid answered.

Ace just smirked back and shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, I hear ya. The bounty on this guy is unreal. Some of these bounties are so overhyped though. You think he's just being advertised for the sake of being some kind of urban legend? I mean, a lot of people talk, but it's just rumor," Ace answered.

Queen's expression suddenly turned harsh and she looked down at her drink. She picked it up, took a quick swig, and then set it down.

"All I know is that money is too good to pass up. We should jump on this before the compeition has a chance to get involved," Queen answered.

"What about Maverick Hunters? Won't they be on it?" Ace asked.

"We'll just have to kill them if they get in our way," Queen replied.

Meanwhile, on top of a building perched Metal. He hunched over, looking down on a group of common thieves. Metal had overhead one of them mentioning something about a big shipment going down, so he became interested and tailed them. However, they hadn't mentioned it again and he was becoming rather tired of this. Metal gritted his teeth angrily and finally decided to jump down and face the thugs.

The thugs were all human, perhaps around 17 years of age or so, and they all had short black hair. They wore similar clothing as well..so it was obvious that they were in some sort of gang. Not that something like that concerned Metal though. Metal merely grabbed one by the neck and brought him close.

"You hear about a shipment of illegal force metals?" Metal asked, grinning at the human.

The human thug freaked as he saw Metal's long fang revealed, and he tried to wrench himself free of his grip. The humans apparently had the rather arrogant idea of trying to beat Metal in a contest of strength. Something that was definitely not intelligent.

"Yo man, what the hell do you think you're doin'? Get yer damn hands off me!" he shouted, trying to shove Metal away.

Metal began to grow tired of this human in his hands. He furiously gritted his teeth together and tightened his grip on the human's neck and slammed him against a wall.

"Listen! Either you tell me right fucking now, or I kill you and just ask your friends over there!" Metal threatened, his face becoming even more harsh.

"Alright, alright..I'll talk! Just put me down man!" the human whined, trying to get free.

"Talk. Then I let you go," Metal spat, strengthening his grip even further.

"Ok..ow..just..there's supposed to be a big shipment going down in the east sector of town. In one of the old processing plants, there's going to be a big deal. That's what the word on the street is anyway...now can you please put me down?" the human whined.

Metal just shook his head and gave the human a malevolent smirk. Instead of loosening his grip on the human, he opted to squeeze harder. He pushed the human against the wall harder, to the point of where the human's bone's might crack at any second. The other humans that were with him just looked at Metal in silent terror.

"You took quite some time to tell me that little piece of information. Too long. The world doesn't need more idiots like you, so I'm gonna do it a favor," Metal hissed, tightening his grip on the human.

Just then, a hand grabbed Metal by the shoulder. Metal wheeled himself around to see Goth behind him with tears collecting in her eyes. She just shook her head, almost unable to speak. Metal loosened his grip on the human and let him fall to the ground, wheezing. He and his friends ran off like a pack of injured dogs.

"Why'd you stop me?" Metal asked, turning to Goth.

"Please Metal..you don't have to kill people so easily..." Goth whispered, her voice meek and feeble.

Metal just shook his head and sighed. He placed an arm around Goth and brought her close to him.

"Alright. But I'm telling you...those Maverick Hunters will get no such mercy from me..."


	4. Reason

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 3  
_"Reason"_  
By MEGAMANX411

Goth nervously looked at Metal as they both walked through a dark, dank alley. Metal walked out in front, because he was obviously unafraid of whatever would come his way. He'd most likely kill anything that moved anyway. Goth walked close behind him, and her method of dealing with problems was quite different than Metals. She didn't like the whole idea of killing, and even though she cared for Metal, she could never understand his bloodlust. Even when they first met. Goth placed a hand on Metal and nervously tapped his shoulder.

Metal slowly wheeled himself around, his black bangs swaying a little has he moved his head. He had his typical grin on his face, where his one fang was revealed. Metal took a certain pride in his frightening countenance. With it, it made fighting all the more fun. He had remembered when he filed his teeth down to fangs to make his appearance even more imposing. It hurt like a bitch, but it certainly helped the image.

"What do you want now?" he asked.

"Metal...do we really need to get these illegal parts? Aren't you strong enough?" Goth asked.

Metal winced his eyes at Goth and looked away, like he completely neglected her very existence.

"I'll be finished when I tell you I'm finished," Metal spat.

Goth gave Metal a pleading look, and clasped her hands together in a prayer-like fashion. She looked up at Metal with glassy eyes.

"Listen Metal...I don't think that you need to get stronger. You're fine as you are, and besides, you've been strong enough to avoid getting captured," Goth reasoned.

Metal shook his head slowly. He didn't even seem to care what Goth had to say, he was totally absorbed in what he was plotting.

"Strong enough to avoid getting captured is one thing. I've been strong enough up to this point. What if they sent X, Zero, and Axl after us now? What do you think would happen? If I can scrap those fuckers, then we won't have to worry about anything. People with power get what they want, when they want it. That's how things work," Metal replied, his voice cold and harsh.

Goth was becoming a bit scared of Metal's behavior. She admitted that she wanted to be with him, after all, he was the one who rescued her. But still, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him. He only seemed to know death.

"But why do you want to kill them so bad? I mean, we could just escape and live our lives peacefully away from here. If the hunters don't know where we are, we won't have to fight!" Goth replied, becoming a little more frigtened of Metal.

"They'll find us eventually. We can't run forever," Metal replied bluntly.

"Yes...but..." Goth answered, trying to find the right words.

"Why do you want to stop me anyway?" Metal asked, becoming a bit more curious.

"You don't have to kill anyone...I don't want to becalled a Maverick. I don't to run away all the time. I don't want to see killing wherever I go. When I first met you Metal, you said we'd find a place where we could live our lives peacefully. But you got obsessed with getting stronger and stronger. You said that after you completed something, we could live together...what is it you have to do so bad?" Goth asked.

"I have to complete myself, that's all," Metal answered, turning his back to Goth.

"That's not it! You're complete now! You've been completed for a long time now. When I first met you, I liked you regardless of whether or not you were fully complete or how strong you were. But now...you frighten me..." Goth muttered.

"You want to know why I'm getting stronger? I just told you. Because of them," Metal replied.

"Them? Who are you talking about?" Goth inquired.

"X, Axl...and...Zero..." Metal hissed, stressing the name of the crimson reploid.

"Why do you hate them so much? You barely talk about yourself. I've known you for years, but you've never really opened up to me," Goth answered.

"Why should I tell you?" Metal shouted, his anger flaring.

"I-I'm sorry..." Goth muttered, his eyes lowering.

Metal sighed and rolled his eyes at Goth. He clearly found her to be somewhat annoying, but deep down, it was obvious that he didn't mean to hurt her. He gave her a softer look and tried to remove his fearful presence for a moment.

"Fine," Metal heaved, "I'll tell you. I was originally made by some guy named Dr. Wily. I don't remember much of him, because when he activated me, many parts of me were left unfinished. I remember him mentioning that I was based off of the design of another really powerful robot. I was going to be his masterpiece. That is, until he started making Zero. He left me broken and incomplete, left to fend for myself. I was made a servant, and because I was incomplete, I lacked the power to fight for myself. Zero was the center of his attention, up until that crazy bastard kicked the bucket. I was left with nothing, so I ran off on my own to complete myself...and well, I guess you know the rest. But I'll always hate those two fuckers for what they did to me. Wily is dead, so that's one down. That just leaves Zero. And if X and Axl are friends of his, then I got a bone to pick with them too."

"Metal..." Goth whispered, becoming clearly frightened.

Meanwhile, Signas was briefing Copper, Alt, and Pop on their mission. He paced back and forth, lecturing them as he walked. The three hunters stood proudly at attention, eagerly listening to their superior officer.

"You three are now in the M-Unit. Your assignment is to meet at the designated location of the illegal force metal transaction and capture Metal. We would prefer it if you could detain the suspect by peaceful means so we can find out if he can tell us where any other illegal goods are, but if it is entirely necessary, you do have the authority to retire the subject. Copper, because you are the highest-ranking member of this unit, you will be the team leader. Alt and Pop, follow whatever instructions that Copper lays out for you without question. We'd like you to handle this matter quietly and quickly. We don't want a big crisis on our hands. If I send out X, Zero, and Axl, news will spread. Do you understand?" Signas asked.

Copper saluted Signas in reply and nodded his head respectfully. Alt and Pop followed Copper's example.

"Sir, yes sir. We will capture Metal without fail," Copper answered.

"Good. Your mission begins at approximately 2300 hours. I will be expecting positive results from you," Signas replied.

Alia, Layer, and Pallette were still busy at their monitors trying to figure out more on the situation. Of course, having to help out other hunters did put a damper on their research, but they still searched dilligently. They did not want a crisis either, but all three of them did believe that it may be entirely necessary to send out X, Zero, and Axl.

"Did you guys find anything?" Alia asked, leaning back in her chair.

"Nothing of much value. This guy just seems impossible to catch. Not to mention the fact that we have not a single real eyewitness. If it weren't for the security cameras in some places, we wouldn't have even known this guy existed. But there's something weird about these security videos..." Pallette answered.

"Yes, I've noticed something strange as well," Layer added.

"What is it?" Alia asked.

"Well, in the videos, you can see Metal for a few brief seconds. But he just disappears," Pallette replied.

"Do you mean someone tampered with the tapes?" Alia answered.

"Nope, I checked it out thoroughly. The tapes are fine. Nothing's been messed with. What's weird is that if Metal used a smokescreen or flash bomb, we would be able to see it here. But look...nothing of that nature is shown," Layer explained.

"This guy may be more dangerous than we took him for...I think we should report to Signas on this," Alia suggested.

Meanwhile, the two bounty hunters Ace and Queen werenear the location of the supposed force metal transaction. Ace was perched on a nearby rooftop while Queen was hiding just outside the building. They both were wearing comlinks for easy communication.

"Alright. What time did you say that this was supposed to do gown?" Ace asked.

"According to what's been said, at about 11:00 P.M. Just make sure you're not seen until then, and keep an eye out for the Maverick Hunters," Queen replied.

"You think they'll be here too?" Ace inquired.

"Yeah, I wouldn't doubt it. You know how information spreads. Let's just be careful and make sure no one gets the jump on us," Queen answered.

The time for the transaction was drawing near...


	5. Dreams

**Heavy Metal!  
**Chapter 4  
_"Dreams"  
_By MEGAMANX411

A loud explosion was heard just nearby, causing Metal to jump with alarm. His eyes shot open, and he looked around. He knew that if there was trouble, his only real option was to run. After all, he wasn't very strong, he wasn't even complete. He looked around a corner of a building to see a horde of mavericks looting a building amidst the confusion. Another maverick riot.

Amidst all of the confusion, a single reploid girl with long black hair, dark purple armor and pale skin was being harassed by a group of humans. They cursed at her, spat on her, and kept shouting that she was with the mavericks. They clearly assumed that she had something to do with one of their friends being hurt. The girl screamed and tried to protest. She kept claiming she was innocent, and that she didn't want to see anyone hurt.

The humans didn't care what the reploid girl had to say. They kept shouting at her, pushing her to the ground, and then stomping on her. Metal gritted his teeth angrily at them. Those damn meat-bags thought they could get away with anything. They thought they were always justified, like they couldn't even be wrong at all. But Metal's main problem was that he knew he couldn't fight. He wasn't too strong...but that didn't change the fact that he was pissed.

Metal grabbed a nearby rock and hurled at one of the humans. The stone flew at high speed and smacked one human right in the face. The rock flew with such speed that some of his teeth were knocked out, and some blood squirted out of his mouth. Metal then rushed in front of the girl, and stood over her with his arms held out. He was blocking the humans from getting to her.

"What the fuck is your deal? Leave the girl alone, what the fuck did she do to you?" Metal shouted.

Metal then looked on as soon Maverick Hunters were approaching the area. Metal knew that if he was labeled maverick, he would pretty much be screwed. There would be no way out of it then. He wasn't strong enough. He inwardly laughed at his situation, and how "noble" his defending this girl was after all.

"Hold it right there!" a hunter shouted, running over.

"You're in for it now. You're dead, both of you!" a human mocked.

Metal kept his superior smirk plastered on his face. He would never submit to filth like them. Humans really disgusted him. They always underappreciated reploids. Reploids had the intellectual capacities of humans, they had emotions, so what was the difference? Was it just what they were made of and who they were made by? If that was the case, then Metal didn't see the logic.

The hunters now stood in front of Metal. They were absolutley massive. Too powerful for Metal to even consider going against. They would utterly annihilate him if he tried anything. Metal was, to be blunt, the weakest of the weak at this point. And that was what pissed him off more than anything in the world. He was always trying to get stronger, but as long as he was incomplete, he wouldn't be able to achieve his goal. And now he was going to die. These hunters were too strong for him to fight against.

"You and the reploid girl will come with us now. If you refuse, we will use force," one hunter commanded.

Something swelled up inside Metal. Feelings of courage and anger, the feelings necessary for rebellion. He knew he couldn't beat them in a fight, but he wanted to fight anyway. He couldn't give in. That would only prove his weakness. He would rather die defying his weakness than give in. He looked to a nearby crate, and resting on top of it was an illegal body part. A special eye component that gave reploids certain special abilities once equipped. Metal wondered if the best way to complete himself was with illegal means, so he could go against the hunters.

"I'm not going to repeat myself. Come with us NOW," another hunter added.

Metal swiped the eye, and quickly dug his hand into his right eye socket. He ripped the eye out that was there, causing lots of synthetic reploid blood to squirt out everywhere. He then slammed that illegal eye part in his head, making sure it was tightly locked in place. Metal then looked back at the hunters and smirked.

"Fuck you! I won't do what you tell me!" Metal shouted, using his eye.

In that instant, Metal and the reploid girl disappeared thanks to his special ability gained from the illegal part. That eye allowed him to freeze time temporarily and make his escape. Metal andthe girl then got into a hiding spot to wait for things to calm down. While they were hiding, they overheard the hunters who were chasing them earlier.

"Damn...those little punks got away. And that one foul-mouth stole an illegal part too," one hunter commented.

"What was he labeled Maverick for, again?" the other hunter asked.

"Being part of that riot, I believe. It was all kind of confusing during that situation. Plus, he did take that illegal part, so looting could be part of his crime. I'll write that down on the report," the first hunter answered.

"And that reploid girl that was with him?" the hunter questioned.

"She was part of it as well. Hunt her down when you have time," the first answered.

Metal spat and cursed. Just like that, he was now officially an outcast. He couldn't show his face anymore. But his sacrifice did end up saving that reploid girl. She was still really shaken up from the whole turn of events, and was still crying.

"Hey, you're safe now. You can stop crying," Metal whispered, rubbing her shoulder.

"Thank you..." the girl replied.

"What's your name anyway?" Metal asked.

"My name's Goth...w-what about you?" Goth asked, still sniffling a little.

"It's Metal. Nice to meet ya Goth, glad I could rescue you from filth like that. No one deserves that," Metal replied.

"But now we're both going to be hunted..." Goth muttered, hanging her head low.

"Hey, it doesn't matter. You know why?" Metal asked, trying to cheer her up.

"What do you mean?" Goth asked.

"Because we're going to escape, you and me. We're gonna live in peace by ourselves. And let me tell you, once I'm completed, no one's gonna get in our way. Not the hunters, the humans, anyone..." Metal answered.

* * *

There was then a sudden flash of light, and Metal saw himself sitting on a table. There were plans thrown all over the lab around him, and several parts seemed to be missing. An old man walked over Metal, announcing how he was supposed to be a masterpiece. But then something happened. All of the sudden, the old man's face turned to disgust, and he now said that Metal was an incomplete piece of junk. The plans didn't tell the old man how exactly to finish building Metal, something was missing. 

That's when he saw that red demon, Zero. That robot who gained all of the old man's attention. He focused entirely on him. And when he was activated, he remembered seeing his bloodthirsty eyes.

* * *

Metal's eyes shot open, and he finally woke up. He was dreaming...dreaming about his past, of all things. No matter how far he ran, he couldn't escape it. It was always there to haunt him. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. 

"Are you ok?" Goth asked.

"I'm fine. Just had a dream," Metal replied.

"Metal...d-do you remember when you first met me?" Goth asked.

"Yeah, I do. I remember it perfectly well. That's why I'm gonna make sure I succeed at my plan, then we can live by ourselves in peace, just like I promised we would," Metal replied.

"But...do you have to fight? Metal, I'm getting so tired of having to be frightened...of you. I want you to promise me something," Goth whispered.

"What is it?" Metal asked.

"Don't kill or hurt anyone, please. If you don't have to hurt them, please don't do it..." Goth whispered.

Metal shook his head and rolled his eyes. Those kind of idealistic comments were wasted on him. But still, it was coming from Goth. She was one of the reasons he wanted to get stronger. Besides...there was only one guy he really wanted to get back at. The rest he could just scare the hell out of, if it made Goth feel better.

"Alright, alright, get off my back. I won't hurt anyone that I don't need to. You satisfied?" Metal asked, taunting Goth.

Goth just smiled back. She was glad that she was able to deter Metal's bloodlust to some degree. He wasn't a monster like everyone else believed, or at least that's what Goth had always hoped to be the case.

"OK, it's time to get going. I want you to stay out of sight. Understand?" Metal asked.

Metal slowly crept into the specified place of the transaction. It was dark, with only some dimly light lamps partially illuminating a few areas. It was still far too dark to really even consider lit up, though. One could easilyhide inmany areas, whichmade Metal even more apprehensive. He slowly approached a crate, which was supposedly filled with materials. But something was amiss.

He had seen these before somewhere. He tried to remember. During one of his previous hits, he had remembered that some goods were confiscated by the hunters before he could swipe them. And there was no way anyone would be dumb enough to go into Maverick Hunter HQ, swipe the parts, and sell them off.

"Fuck! I've been set up!" Metal shouted, turning around.

"Metal, you are under arrest!" a hunter shouted.

Alt, Pop, and Copper appeared around a corner. Metal gritted his teeth angrily as he realized how much trouble he was in. Three hunters appeared to catch him...and at the worst possible time! Metal knew he could scrap the hunters with relative ease, they did look like low-ranked fighters...but he couldn't kill them.

"Hold on! He's ours!" two figures shouted.

From the ceiling descended two other reploids. Bounty hunters. Things were bound to get interesting with a third party involved, but the problem was that Metal couldn't kill anyone now. His only option was to run, but even that had its limits.


	6. Screwed

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 5  
_"Screwed"_  
By MEGAMANX411

Copper pointed his energy pistols at Metal. His arms were unwavering, and his determination was evident even if he was only a B class. Alt stood beside him with his buster ready to fire, and Pop kept a firm grip on his daggers. Not being able to kill would put a damper on Metal's fighting ability. He could still try to use his fists if he wanted.

Metal's main problem was the illegal goods. He came all this way, and he didn't want to leave without them. If he managed to snag them, he'd get even stronger. But he couldn't get caught here. And the fact that there were both bounty hunters and Maverick Hunters here didn't help his chances.

"Heh...tough odds. Guess that'll make things more interesting," Metal muttered, shaking his head.

The two bounty hunters were standing on the catwalk, looking down. Their presence was already known, but they didn't see fit to move yet.

"Why don't you little hunters head on home? We'll take it from here," Queen mocked.

Copper just shook his head. His expression did not change in the slightest, and if anything, he was absolutely determined to fulfull his mission. After all, after he caught Metal, he might be promoted to a much higher rank. He could be alongside X, Zero, and Axl as a famous hunter.

"You are the ones who must leave. This is strictly Maverick Hunter business," Copper replied bluntly.

Just then, Metal rushed at Copper with his fist drawn back. A big sadistic smile appeared on his face as he ran at full speed. His movement was almost untraceable at first, his footsteps were silent. Copper only noticed Metal barreling down on him when it was too late.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Metal shouted, pulling his fist back.

Metal then slammed his fist into Copper's face with surprising force, knocking the hunter back into the wall. However, a lot of the damage came from the little spikes on Metal's knuckles. When Metal's fist came into contact with Copper's cheek, the spikes dug into his synthetic flesh and tore it up a little. His cheek was covered in blood. Metal slowly licked the spikes on his knuckles, savoring the taste of the hunter's blood. He was trying to psyche them out.

_Alright, if I can just scare the hell out of them with my reputation, this might be easier,_ Metal thought.

"You're going to pay for that!" Alt shouted, raising his buster.

Alt charged a little and fired. The recoil knocked him back only slightly, and the blast was fairly large for a person of his rank and status. The plasma bolt ripped through the air with alarming speed and threatened to slam straight into Metal. The sadistic reploid made a quick side step motion and avoided the blast. He then stuck his tongue out and gave Alt the finger to mock him further.

"Who do you think you are?" Pop shouted, running after Metal.

Metal quickly ran back towards the shadows, trying to get more space between him and Pop. He didn't want to get all of the hunters on him at once. That definitely wouldn't be good news for him. Metal dove and hid behind a crate, trying to make his presence unknown for awhile. Pop scanned the area to see where Metal was hiding...but couldn't find him.

"Damn...where'd he go?" Pop muttered, looking around.

Queen then dropped down from the ceiling and landed on top of Metal. She kicked down hard on him as she landed, making Metal feel quite a bit of pain. The dark reploid fell to the ground with a hard thud and his face smacked the pavement forcefully. Metal gritted his teeth angrily and tried to get the bounty hunter off of him.

"Get the hell off me, you bitch!" Metal screamed, trying to throw Queen off.

"Don't think so, my precious bounty," Queen replied, kissing Metal's cheek.

Now it was Metal's turn to get pissed. He only wanted one girl by him, and Queen definitely wasn't it. And the fact that she only wanted to sell him out didn't exactly make him feel any better about the situation.

"I said...get the fuck off!" Metal screamed, leaping to his feet.

Queen was knocked aside, and Metal then jumped on top of a crate. The bounty hunters and Maverick Hunters were both becoming quite agitated at this. They wanted this to end now and end this whole fiasco.

"Bounty hunters! If you help us catch Metal, we will let you have the profits of the bounty. We only need him," Copper insisted.

"Sounds like a plan to me..." Ace replied, smirking at Metal.

"Heh...you guys think you can actually catch me? You really think that, don't you? I can leave whenever I want," Metal replied, smirking.

"Oh, is that a fact?" Ace answered, standing erect.

Ace's sudden burst of confidence didn't make Metal feel like he had the upper hand anymore. Metal did have quite a reputation, and these were low level fighters. So if Ace had the idea that he was somehow better off than Metal, he was either really lucky or just plain ignorant. In order for him to be so confident...he must have some kind of secret weapon.

"Go ahead. Try and run. But if you do..." Queen added.

"What?" Metal replied harshly.

"We'll kill your girlfriend," Ace mocked, pulling Goth from the shadows.

Metal's eyes grew wide from sheer shock. Amidst all of the confusion of the fighting, that bounty hunter tracked down Goth outside and nabbed her. Now she was in their custody, which was the very thing Metal was trying to prevent at all costs.

"Don't you touch her, you fucking bastard!" Metal screamed.

"Now hand yourself over to us Metal. If you do it, we'll let the girl go," Queen added.

"Metal, don't listen! Just run!" Goth shouted.

"Shut up!" Ace answered, smacking Goth in the back of the head.

Metal's female companion then fell unconscious thanks to Ace's attack. She fainted in Ace's arms, no longer giving any resistance. Metal just stared at them with hatred in his eyes. They were trying to bargain with lives, using Goth as leverage. They disgusted him to the point where he would enjoy killing them. Even though he had made that promise to Goth, he now wanted to kill these bounty hunters more than anything. If they thought they could get away with touching Goth without some form of payback from Metal, they were dead wrong. The sadistic dark reploid's anger flared as he stared them down.

"Sorry Goth, but I'm going to have to break that promise a little," Metal whispered.

"What was that?" Copper asked.

Metal gritted his teeth angrily and clenched his fists tightly. Suddenly, a black aura began to envelop Metal's body and dark mist began to exhume from his being. He was being wrapped in a dark light as he collected energy inward.

"What the hell is he doing?" Pop shouted.

"I don't know!" Alt replied, keeping his buster steady.

All of the sudden, there was a sudden eclipse of light. Everything went black just for a moment, and the only thing that was visible was the silvery white hair of Metal. Suddenly, the lights came back on, and Metal was visible. His fangs and blades grew longer, and his armor became harder and bulkier. His hair turned silvery white, and it grew quite a bit longer. Some hair also came out of the back of his helmet and cascaded down his back. More spikes appeared on his body, and his right eye, which used to be eclipsed by his hair was now visible. His demonic, solid black eye was now visible through his white hair.

"He's...he's transformed!" Copper shouted, taking a few steps back.

"Looks like you're the ones who're screwed now! Say hello to Death Metal!" Metal shouted, pointing at Ace.

A bead of sweat trickled down Ace's face as he was overcome with a wave of fear. T his more powerful Metal definitely scared the hell out of him. Metal was imposing before, but this version of him...it was horrific beyond belief. Metal gave Ace asadistic smirk, and he just continued pointing at him. Metal then extended both of his arms and began to glow and collect energy.

"Slayer!" Metal screamed.

All of the sudden, Ace grew pale. All of his limbs stiffened, and his eyes turned milky white. Everything froze. He completely stopped moving, and instantly, he just fell over lifeless. Queen, Copper, Alt, and Pop stared at Metal in horror. Metal wasn't finished then though. He wanted to make this guy's death sweet if he even had the thought of touching Goth.

Metal jumped on top of Ace's body, and tightly gripped his lifeless head. He ripped it off with a powerful jerk, and then smashed it inward, turning it into a fountain of reploid blood. Metal held the grotesque trophy over his mouth, eagerly drinking any blood that dripped down. He then rubbed his mouth and threw the head aside, a sadistic smile appearing on his face as he did so.

"That's what happens to you if you touch her," Metal added, staring the other reploids down. "I got what I came for, so Goth and I are leaving."

Metal brushed his hair aside to fully reveal his special dark eye. He activated it, freezing time momentarily. In that space of time, he quickly grabbed Goth and ran. When things resumed, the hunters and Queen were still unable to move due to the incredible shock of what just happened.

"Metal...he's...a monster," Queen whispered.

"We'll have to get X, Zero and Axl on this one," Copper muttered, shaking his head.

Elsewhere, Metal was heaving breaths as he laid Goth down. The reploid girl was still out like a light, and was sleeping peacefully. Metal stared down to her with sad eyes, and reverted back to his normal form. He broke his promise to save her. In the end, he wasn't sure what she'd like to hear. He knew that to him saving her was important, but he then thought about what she might regard as important.

"I'm sorry Goth. I broke our promise. But we will live in peace together one day, that I can promise you," Metal whispered.

Metal then sat down, trying to catch his breath. Transforming and using his special attack took a lot out of him, and ended up almost completely draining of him of his energy. A little more and he would've been dead. Even so, he thought that it was time that he stopped beating around the bush and take care of what he wanted to do...fight Zero. After that, he could fulfill his promise to Goth.


	7. Who's Hunting Who?

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 6  
_"Who's Hunting Who?"_  
By MEGAMANX411

Metal shook his head slowly as he looked at the sleeping female reploid beside him. He smiled faintly and then stroked her cheek gently. He then thought back to all of the times that he scared Goth, all of the times that she begged him to be a better person. Was he really that terrifying and evil? All he wanted to do was break away from being labeled an outcast. He wanted to escape from persecution with his girl, and make sure they were both safe. In order to do that, he would have to become stronger, become complete, and ultimately, destroy his rival.

"Am I evil? I don't know..." Metal whispered.

All of the people that Metal killed weren't exactly innocent themselves. He preyed on thugs, lowlifes, bounty hunters, and other assorted rabble that were deemed low. He was a bit terrifying with his methods, and he admitted that he honestly didn't really care about most of them. But he did care what Goth thought. That's why he decided after he took care of this, it would be the end. After he killed that demon who haunted him, he would be able to escape. No other hunter would be able to even dream of touching the one who could kill the legendary Zero.

"Goth, I'm going away for awhile. I have to take care of one last thing before I can finally take you to the place where I promised. I won't be long. I'll come back for you," Metal whispered, standing up straight.

Metal silently walked towards the door, not taking the time to look back at all. When he finally got out, he was embraced by the darkness of the light, as if he was joining with an old friend. The pitch dark night enveloped him and cloaked him, giving him assistance in his last mission.

Meanwhile, back at Maverick Hunter HQ, Copper, Pop, Alt, and Queen were busy explaining the situation to Signas. He now realized how much more serious things had become. Queen was a bit more emotional than usual, and was not her usual cold, condescending self. She still was Ace's partner, and seeing Metal drink his blood like some sort of vengeful demon was definitely unnerving.

Pop, Copper, and Alt were just humiliated that they not only failed, but they failed miserably. They were beaten, bloodied, and insulted. Metal had them entirely outclassed, and he wasn't even trying to fight them at all. They were completely ashamed to think that they even had a chance in the first place. Copper just rubbed his cheek, still in pain from the spikes. Pop and Alt were the victims of hurt egos, seeing as Metal insulted them during their fight.

Queen explained to Signas what Metal did to Ace, while the hunters were trying to explain why they failed their mission. The only possible solution was becoming more and more clear by the minute, but even Signas knew what that was going to mean. This was going to be widespread news. People everywhere would hear about it, and it might even stir up a panic. Even so, they were running out of options.

Alia then entered the room, stood before Signas, and saluted him. She took a deep breath and gave Signas a pleading look. She knew that she had to ask him to deploy X, Zero, and Axl.

"Sir, we're really running out of options. Metal is really becoming out of control, and he needs to be stopped. We need to send out X, Zero, and Axl for this, they may be our only chance now. If he gets even stronger, the three hunters may not be able to beat him," Alia pleaded.

Signas closed his eyes and sighed lightly. He knew this was coming, he just didn't want to admit it. It was definitely time to haul out the big guns.

"Yes. It would seem that we are left with no other choice. Contact X, Zero, and Axl and update them on the mission. We don't have much time. Queen managed to place a tracking device on Metal when she hit him, but we don't know how long it will take for him to remove it," Signas answered.

"Sir!" Pallette screamed, running into the room.

Signas turned to face the young navigator and gave her a curious look.

"Yes Pallette, what's the matter?" Signas asked.

"It's Metal...he's in the building!" Pallette screamed.

"My God...he's already here," Signas muttered.

"I'll get X, Zero and Axl right away," Alia answered, running to her communication terminal. "Maverick Hunters X, Zero, and Axl! Your presence is required immediately for an emergency assignment! There is an intruder in the building, you are needed to hunt this subject!"

Metal, who was just at the entrance of the building, heard Alia over the intercom. It didn't faze him anymore. He knew how much shit he was in now, but there was now way to avoid it. They would track him down eventually, and he would sooner die then let anyone lay a finger on Goth. He would take care of the biggest threat before it could have the preemptive strike on him.

Just then, a hoard of rookie hunters ran into the hallway. Metal just stared them down, not even acknowledging their existence in the least. They were like bothersome insects to him, not even worthy of his effort. He would exterminate them if they stood in his path, because no one would stop him from getting his vegeance.

"I don't have time for you. Just go to hell!" Metal screamed, running through the hallway.

Metal gracefully did a spiralling jump, using the blades on his arms to clear out anyone in his way. He properly timed his movements so that he would slice off heads with minimal effort. It was like a symphony of bloodshed, with at least a dozen low class hunters being decapitated in a matter of moments with a few quick movements. Metal ran through them like they weren't even there, and when he reached the other side, the hallway was littered with bloody heaps of circuitry.

Alia, Pallette, and Layer were watching the scene from their computers in the navigation room. They could hardly believe their eyes. Seeing someone so easily and so graciously killing so many in such a short time was so frightening they could barely comprehend it. X, Zero, and Axl, the three top-ranked hunters, then entered the room.

"What's wrong Alia?" X asked.

"What's the emergency?" Axl asked.

"X, Zero, Axl! You're here, finally!" Pallette screamed.

"Calm down and tell us what the problem is," Zero answered.

"There's an intruder. You can see him on the screen," Layer replied, pointing to her computer terminal.

"Who is this guy?" Zero asked, looking at the screen intently.

He knew he had seen that figure somewhere. He wasn't quite sure who it was, because he didn't look exactly how he pictured him, but Zero was positive he saw him sometime before.

"His name is Metal," Alia replied.

"Metal...I've heard that name before. I can't remember where...but..." Zero muttered, scracthing his head.

"Zero? You know this guy?" Axl asked.

"Ah, nevermind. Nothing important," Zero replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Right. What does matter is that we have to stop him before he kills any more hunters," X added.

"You know, I don't think he's come just to kill them," Alia muttered.

"What was that?" X asked.

"He must have come for a reason. He couldn't just have come to kill some low level hunters, he has to have some kind of goal in mind," Alia added.

"I see your point..." Zero replied.

"Doesn't matter. Either way, he's going down," Axl added.

At that point Metal looked up at the security camera and gave it a hard glare. He slowly walked up to it, trying to get as close as possible. Then then glared hostilely at it.

"Zero. Get out here now," he shouted, smashing the camera afterward.

As the transmission was cut, the screen then displayed plain static. Alia's, Pallette's, and Layer's faces grew grim when they heard what Metal was after. He wanted to fight Zero. This would no doubt be one violent fight, and they weren't even sure if Zero could beat him alone. According to the data they had received from Metal, they knew he was incredibly strong and vicious. And there were still so many unknowns.

"I've got to get down there," Zero muttered, walking towards the door.

"But Zero!" X shouted.

"You need us!" Axl added.

"You shouldn't come. You'll just get in the way," Zero replied, turning his back to X and Zero.

The red hunter then left, his cascading blonde hair following him short after. The blue bomber and Axl just stood there silently, trying to think of a good way to deter Zero from doing this alone. Zero was not one to be easily persuaded.

"We just have to go after him," Axl muttered.

"I agree Axl. Zero might need our help," X added.

Metal then walked into a nearby room, taking the time to observe what was there. It was a training room, so there weren't any immediate obstacles. All of the training devices were not in operation. Metal would have make sure that this room would best serve his fight. He walked down to the main computer in the room, and smashed it with his fist.

As he dug his spiked fist into the console, all of the lights went out and everything ceased functioning. It was a pitch black haven for him, perfect for fighting. He would now have vengeance on Zero, and he would be able to easily escape thanks to the darkness.

"Come on Zero. I've waited for this," Metal muttered, getting ready for the fight.

Just then, a figure entered the room. He slowly looked around, and his blonde hair swayed side to side as he looked around the room. He then pulled out his beam saber and held it out, which partially helped in illuminating the dark room.

"Metal! You wanted me, so here I am!" Zero shouted.

"Zero. You've finally come..." Metal whispered, almost in awe of the red hunter.

Metal had spent so much of his existence feeling inferior to Zero. Zero was the one who surpassed Metal in the beginning, the one who received the attention of Dr. Wily. Zero was the masterpiece, but Metal knew that he was there first. It was his role to be the ultimate robot, not Zero. And he would prove it to him by killing him once and for all. He would prove to fate itself that Zero was not the one who should've been completed.

"I'm going to kill you Zero. You may have been his masterpiece, but I don't care. I'm the better of the two, and besides, I have a promise to keep," Metal hissed.


	8. Destined Battle

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 7  
_"Destined Battle"_  
By MEGAMANX411

Metal stared at Zero with hostile eyes. He had waited so long for this moment, when he would finally be able to consider himself on the same level as Zero. Zero was the reason Metal wanted to become stronger in the first place. After he had killed Zero, no other hunter would dare touch him, and he could finally live his days peacefully with Goth. The Maverick Hunters would no doubt be scared witless without Zero, or at least that's what Metal had always assumed.

Although Metal's visions of his past were fragmented, he did remember seeing Zero in his early days. Zero was a terrifying fighter, and Metal wanted to surpass that. If he became even more of a frightening demon than Zero, then he might have the pleasure of seeing that demon squirm beneath him.

"What is it you want with me?" Zero asked.

"You don't remember me, do you?" Metal replied, shaking his head.

"No, I don't. So cut the crap and tell me what's going on," Zero answered bluntly.

Metal angrily grittted his teeth. He had spent his whole life dedicating himself to his promise to Goth, and his promise to himself to surpass Zero. And Zero had forgotten about him so easily. Metal was supposed to be Dr. Wily's masterpiece, but Zero was the one who got all of his attention.

"Zero, you are Dr. Wily's masterpiece. But I don't care what that old man thought, because I'm better than you, and I'm going to prove it to you," Metal hissed, clenching his fist.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zero asked.

"The man who made you also made me you dumbass. But instead of finishing me, he concentrated all of his efforts on you. I was left broken and alone, and you think I managed to get a good life? I was labeled Maverick just because I stood up to some pricks who were beating the living shit out of an innocent reploid girl. I've been on the run my whole life, and it all comes back to you. After I kill you, it'll prove that I'm the better one, and I can finally return to keep my promise!" Metal shouted.

"What promise are you talking about? And if you haven't noticed, you're the one who's gone around terrorizing citizens. Yeah, that's right, I read a report on you. You're a small fry. You just barely qualify for my attention, just because you killed some bounty hunter and messed with some low-ranking Maverick Hunters. I don't know who you are, but if you think you're justified in killing people just so you can prove to me you're stronger than I am, then that just makes you look weak," Zero replied harshly.

"Die!" Metal screamed, running at Zero.

Metal angrily drove his fist forward, which slammed into Zero's shoulder. The spikes chipped off a small portion of his armor. Zero wrapped himself around and kicked Metal in the back, knocking him forward. Zero then tried to follow up on his attack by bringing his beam saber down, trying to slice Metal in half.

The dark reploid quickly rolled out of the way, and then kicked the saber out of Zero's hands when he tried to bring it down. The glowing blade of the weapon then retracted as it clanged against the floor, once again enveloping the room in darkness. Metal then grabbed Zero's head and slammed it against the wall. Zero shook Metal off, then tried to find his saber.

Before Zero could track his saber down, Metal punched Zero straight in the face. The spikes on his knuckles caused his face to bleed, and the crimson hunter let out a curse as he grabbed Metal's hand. He then pulled him forward and drove his knee into Metal's abdomen. Metal grunted as he felt the force of Zero's knee drive into him, then he tried to headbutt Zero.

The crimson hunter stopped Metal, and then threw him against the ground hard. The fanged, sadistic reploid quickly spun himself around on the ground and tripped Zero, taking him down to the ground with him. Metal then quickly grabbed Zero's arm, and placed his foot against Zero's chest. He tried to apply enough pressure to rip the hunter's arm off, but Zero broke Metal's grip and smacked him in the face in retaliation.

Zero then dove to the spot where his saber landed, grabbed it, and turned it back on. As the small area around Zero was illuminated by the glow of his saber, Metal disappeared into the shadows. Zero scanned across the room to see where Metal was, but his presence was being completely concealed. All of the sudden, Metal dropped down from the ceiling, landing on Zero's shoulders. As Zero laid on the ground, Metal then angrily grabbed Zero's head and tried to rip it off.

"Let go of Zero!" Axl shouted, running into the room along with X.

Axl fired a blast from his energy pistol, and the bullet hit Metal square in his right eye. His special right eye which gave him several abilities had been shot out, and the flesh around it was now slightly charred. Metal stumbled back and clutched his eye, angrily cursing.

"Fuck!" he screamed, clutching his eye.

Zero then got back to his feet, spat up a little blood, and shot a look back at X and Axl. The two other hunters quickly came to Zero's aid, and helped steady him.

"What are you two doing here? This is my fight!" Zero shouted.

"We've come to help Zero. This guy is dangerous," X replied.

Metal angrily stared his three opponents down. Fighting Zero was hard enough, but having to deal with his two friends as well was going to be next to impossible for him. He had to return to Goth, he couldn't die here. He had to fulfill his promise and return to her, but his ability to escape was cut short because his eye was shot out. His best chance at escape was destroyed.

_Damn...I have to beat them. There's no way I can escape now because of that fag with the pistols. I can't hold anything back. I have to go all out in this fight if I want to get back to her_, Metal thought.

"Megadeath!" Metal screamed.

Metal quickly dashed inbetween X, Zero, and Axl, and slammed his fist on the ground. A massive surge of energy transfered from his chest to his arms and into the ground. There was a huge surge of power, and the room seemed to be quaking because Metal had struck the ground with such fury. The ground quaked and rumbled, and all of the sudden, giant bolts of energy shot upward. The three hunters frantically tried to avoid being struck, but the blasts were incredibly powerful and huge.

Metal was heaving breaths now. That attack took a lot out of him, but he thought it should work. It was one of his strongest, and he rarely ever used it. After the blasts subsided, Metal scanned to see if there were any remains of the hunters. Much to his dismay, he saw that all three of the hunters were still alive and well.

"Damn it! Metal Militia!" Metal shouted.

Metal's body began to glow blue, and he was scanning and copying his own reploid DNA. He then imparted some of his energy to a special component of his body that turned copy data into a feasible physical object with actual force and mass. A clone, not a hologram, although it wasn't as strong as the original. Two copies of Metal now stood beside the original.

"What the hell is this?" Axl shouted.

"Be on your guard!" X shouted, raising his buster.

Metal and his two clones rushed after X, Zero, and Axl, trying to engage them in close range fighting. The real Metal was trying to go toe to toe with Zero, while his clones went after X and Axl. Metal tried to ram his fist into Zero's chest, but the red hunter caught the blow and flipped Metal over, slamming him against the ground. Zero tried to stab down on Metal, but he rolled back in time.

The first copy of Metal tried to jumpkick X, but the blue hunter ducked in time. The copy slammed against the wall, but he quickly rebounded and hurled himself back the other way. X was caught off guard, and the copy hit him in the back of the head, knocking him forward. The copy tried to come down on X with a hard stomp, but X quickly brought up his buster and shot the copy square in the chest, sending him flying back to the wall.

Meanwhile, Axl was trying to shoot the other copy with his pistols. However, the Metal copy proved to be fast enough to dodge the bullets, and was gracefully dodging while approaching the young hunter. The Metal copy then quickly ran up to Axl and gave him a hard dropkick straight to the chest. The young hunter hit the ground, but he grabbed himself before he fell and jumped back up and shot the copy in the shoulder.

At that same instant, Metal grabbed Zero by the shoulder, spun him around, and punched him in the face yet again. The red hunter tried to stab Metal, but the dark reploid avoided the attack by grabbing Zero's arm and pulling him forward. As Zero struggled against Metal's grip, Metal just brought his face closer to Zero's ear.

"Here's a tip Zero. Don't fuck with Metal," Metal hissed, bringing his elbow down on Zero's arm.

Zero let out a painful cry and clutched his arm. He then took control of his saber with his other arm and gave Metal a harsh look. At that time, the first copy of Metal was trying to barrel down on X, but the blue hunter grabbed him and threw him towards Zero, who gracefully spun around and chopped him in two. However, Axl was having more trouble trying to get the copy off of him.

Axl tried to shoot him before he could do anything, but the copy slammed Axl's hands, making him drop his pistols. He then did a round house kick, hitting Axl square in the face, knocking him backwards. Axl angrily pressed forward, trying to tackle the clone, but the real Metal stepped and kicked Axl in the back, knocking him over the Metal clone. Axl hit the ground with a loud thud, and both the clone and Metal stomped on him hard, knocking him out.

"Get off of him!" X shouted, raising his buster.

X let out a buster blast, which struck the Metal copy in the side, knocking it into the wall and obliterating it. Metal looked back angrily at X and Zero. His odds were better now than they were before, but things still looked bleak to him. He had to take care of one of them now.

Metal let out a loud scream, and his body was once again covered in darkness. All of the blackness of the night seemed to be concentrated around his body, and a dark mist began to fill the room. All that was visible was the silver hair of Metal, which now cascaded down his back. His fangs and blades grew longer again, and he once again resumed the form of Death Metal.

Metal was so overcome with pure rage and fury that he took a much darker solution than he originally wanted. He was now more determined than ever to kill Zero, no matter what it cost him. And if Zero was dead, that would leave a lot of pressure of Goth, making paradise easier for her to attain. She might be able to get away from the low level hunters. Metal knew she was stronger than she looked, she could protect herself to a degree...but she wasn't strong enough to defeat Zero. That was something Metal would have to do for her.

He was willing to protect her to the end. He would kill himself and Zero if that was what it took to fulfill his promise to her. And it would also fulfill his promise to himself. He would show that dead son of a bitch Dr. Wily that his creations mean nothing. Metal would send Zero to the grave and follow him soon after so he'd have the satisfaction of seeing Wily's face in the afterlife.

"This will take a lot out of me, but I'm going to kill you Zero, even if it takes my life! I'll prove I'm better than you, and I'll give her a better chance at living!" Metal screamed.


	9. The Killing Road Ends

**Heavy Metal!**  
Chapter 8  
_"The Killing Road Ends"_  
By MEGAMANX411

Metal stared at Zero with fire in his gaze. He would kill Zero no matter what the cost. He would insure the safety of Goth by removing what he considered the biggest threat to her. He knew that using his best attack would probably kill him, or reduce him to a low enough power for him to be easily defeated by X. Either way, it was his only choice.

"Zero, you're fucking dead! Slayer!" Metal screamed, slowly raising his hands.

Metal's now silver hair began to gracefully shift as if winds were being picked up around him. The dark aura surrounding him began to grow. Dark mist began to exhume from his being as power was collected. Metal was getting ready to use his best attack, and his body began to glow.

"I'm not going to let you!" X shouted, dashing after Metal.

X quickly grabbed Metal's arms and pulled them down, trying to restrict his movement. Metal struggled against X's grip, but he was having a hard time breaking free. Zero then charged foward with his saber, and sliced downward, hitting Metal in the shoulder. The saber sliced into Metal's shoulder a good deal, causing the dark reploid to curse loudly and some of his own blood to spill. Metal quickly did a powerful kick to drive both X and Zero back, but he was now to weakened to use his attack without dying for sure.

If he used his best attack, he was dead for sure. There was no way he could beat them both, and he wasn't even sure that he had enough energy to even use the attack in the first place. It might not even work effectively. Metal hated to admit it, but he would have to resort to his buster if he wanted to win now. Metal slowly powered down, and his body then resumed his normal form. He lifted his buster, and the spiked ball then sat on top of it once again.

Metal pointed his buster at Zero, and then launched the spiked ball. Zero braced himself for the attack, and quickly dove out of the way in time. Before X could intervene, Metal changed the direction of the attack and sent the ball hurdling at the blue bomber. X ducked, trying to get away from the attack.

Zero tried to stop Metal by rushing at him with his saber, but Metal sent the attack hurdling at the crimson hunter. Zero managed to side step the attack, but the chains connecting the ball to Metal's buster were wrapped around Zero's legs due to some finesse from Metal. He then pulled his buster arm back, tripping Zero, and pulled him forward. However, X blasted Metal in the chest, knocking him back and loosening his grip on Zero.

Metal then collected the majority of his remaining energy into one last charge, and fired the spiked ball at high speed. The attack threatened to smash into Zero, but the red hunter managed to evade the attack. He then used his saber to guide the chain to his will, taking control over the attack from Metal. Using his saber, Zero moved the attack back over to Metal.

Metal just looked on hopelessly as his own attack came back around. There was nothing left he could do. He was truly doomed from the start. All of his hopes and dreams were for nothing. To him, his fate was completely unfair. This wasn't what he deserved. He only wanted to live in peace with Goth, and the only ones he killed were those the hunters would have exterminated later anyway.

Metal then looked down as his own attack ripped through his chest, creating a huge hole. His reploid blood began to pour out like a fountain, and his eyes and mouth started to bleed as well. He fell to his knees, staring up at the dark of night, cursing his fate. Was this how things were to end? His vengeance was doomed to be cut short? His promise would never be fulfilled?

Metal lowered his head in agony, but struggled to stand back up, not wanting to admit defeat. He wasn't done, he couldn't be done yet. There was no way he could give in. Then he would truly be lost. He futilely tried to pick himself, but his power was too weak. He just looked back at up, his blood-stained face staring back at the two demons who killed him, X and Zero. He managed to defeat one, but even he wasn't dead yet. Metal had underestimated the hunters...a mistake he would not be able to repeat.

Zero slowly walked up to Metal, and looked down on him as if he wasn't even worth his effort. To him, Metal was just another subject to be hunted. Business, and nothing more. He slowly raised his saber. That's when X gazed back at Metal. Something strange seemed to happen as X looked back at Metal.

X was suddenly shown flashes of insights into Metal's life. He couldn't explain it. He saw his own blueprints and design schematics laid out on a table, and an old man sulking nearby. That old man was not Dr. Light, it was someone else. He then saw a broken old robot that looked like X, but it wasn't quite the same. It was the same design as X, but a different creator. X didn't know what it was, but there was something different about this robot.

He saw that this robot was not completed in the vision. Instead, he saw a vision of a red robot taking in the praise and attention of the old man, while the other robot was left alone. It was left to remain incomplete in a darkened corner. X saw this robot escape the lab it was in, only to be jeered at and mocked, and to be treated with contempt. He lacked power, but had determination.

X saw that the robot from the vision later became the one who laid before him, Metal. He saw the promise that Metal made to Goth. He didn't know why. Because they had the same design, it was as if they shared some kind of telepathic bond. X then stood in front of Metal, blocking Zero from killing him.

"Zero, don't kill him," X commanded, spreading his arms out.

"What are you doing X? Get out of the way!" Zero shouted, trying to deter his friend.

"I saw something Zero. He isn't evil. We don't have to kill him," X replied.

"He still killed hunters, he killed civilians, and he's even committed other crimes. All of those sins are on his soul now, he cannot possibly redeem himself. He is a Maverick, and as a Maverick Hunter, I am supposed to kill him!" Zero shouted.

"Metal, what do you want? What is the thing you have fought for so hard?" X asked, turning to Metal.

Metal spat up some blood, and struggled to his feet. He stared back at X and Zero hostilely. He couldn't believe that X had the nerve to show him mercy. Metal just wanted to kill them more than anything now...or did he, really? He wanted to fight them, yes, but for the sake of his promise to Goth. Was he just covering up his true desire with another one?

"I want...to protect...h-her..." Metal stammered, trying to force out his words.

"If I let you go, will you leave? Will you leave with this girl?" X asked.

"I-I..." Metal replied, spitting up more blood.

"X, stop this nonsense right now!" Zero shouted.

"No! Let him speak!" X replied, standing back and facing Zero.

Metal slowly stood up straight, with his head held high. He tried to forget about his immense pain, and struggled to fight against the weight of his own body. He was so fatigued and worn out that just standing was nearly impossible.

"I-I can't give up on her...I promised...I'd make her safe. S-She was called a Maverick, but I'll get rid of you hunters to save her..." Metal hissed, trying to fight some more.

"If I promise that we will leave this girl alone, will you stop this?" X asked.

"Why should I trust you?" Metal shouted, screaming loudly despite his own pain.

"Honestly...I don't know," X muttered, shaking his head.

"Out of the way!" Zero shouted.

Zero then took the handle of his saber and smacked X in the face, knocking him aside. The blue hunter fell to the ground, but quickly got back up and rubbed his face where Zero hit him. Zero then shifted his attention to where Metal was...but he was gone! The only thing in his place was a pool of blood and a load of illegal parts. He had dropped his illegal weapons.

"He's gone. We have to go after him," Zero muttered.

"No, Zero," X replied, standing back up. "He left the fight, and he left behind his weapons. That proves to you I got through to him."

"And why do you trust him?" Zero shouted.

"I don't know why, but I just feel like I can. I could see what he was thinking...huh?" X muttered, looking at his arm.

He just received an incoming transmission from someone. He looked down to see that he had a message simply saying:

"Thanks. You showed me what promise of mine was more important than the other. But cross me again, and I'll kill you for sure. I'm holding you to YOUR promise," -Heavy Metal

X smirked as he saw the fruits of his labor, and looked back at Zero. The red hunter shook his head, but admitted defeat to X. He put his saber away and walked out the door, slinging Axl over his shoulder as he went. X followed after, thinking about how things might have been different if Metal had been born into a better life.

Meanwhile, Metal slowly returned to the place where he left Goth. He walked slowly, bleeding profusely as he moved. He still had enough to live, but he just needed to rest. He set himself down beside Goth, he looked at her face and smirked.

"Heh, guess I decided my promise to you was more important than that promise I made to myself. Consider yourself lucky," Metal teased, falling asleep beside Goth.

Metal and Goth finally had what they wanted. A private paradise, just for the two of them. Metal was finally complete, and he proved he was the better. At least, in his mind. He thought he had proved himself by choosing to return to Goth instead of dying futilely. He knew how strong he was now, he could defeat many foes.

X had personally seen to it that there was no more need to hunt after Metal and Goth. The hunters dismissed any information of Metal's existence, and the stories of his exploits became rumors and urban legends. The one reploid who almost killed X, Zero and Axl, all by himself. The one who challenged the whole system of authority in the world, and who took on any foe with vicious cunning. That was the legend of Metal.

No one saw the real Metal anymore, but everyone feared him. He was mentioned in stories and people would often use Metal's name as some sort of scare tactic. Everyone began to assume that Metal wasn't even a real reploid anymore, but the real Metal was happy just by being with Goth. No one else mattered, and no one else interfered with him. That was the way he wanted things.

The end. I really hope you enjoyed reading this fanfiction, and I also hope you liked my fan characters! Comments are appreciated, as always!


End file.
